First Contestants on RISING STAR Released, 6/22

The first set of phenomenal singers from across the country will perform on this Sunday's premiere of ABC's hotly-anticipated new series, "Rising Star," SUNDAY, JUNE 22, (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET; check local listings) on the ABC Television Network. They are:

Internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter Josh Groban will host, and country music superstar Brad Paisley, music sensation Kesha and hip hop artist and actor Ludacris, comprise the expert panel on ABC's "Rising Star," the next evolution of live television. "Rising Star" completely reinvents the traditional singing competition as--for the first time ever--the audience has the final say in real time. The show follows a group of aspiring singers as they perform live. During the performances, viewers vote in real time via an App to determine if the singer will advance in the competition. If the voting reaches a certain threshold, the performer moves on. In addition, the performer can see how the voting is going throughout the performance, so the feedback is immediate and dramatic.

To vote for your favorite contestants, home judges (viewers) can download the Rising Star ABC app through the Apple App Store, Windows Market Place, or the Google Play Store. The App is essential to participate in the voting process, but it's totally FREE and easy to use. Just register with your Facebook or Twitter account, and you're ready to go. Before each performance, you'll be asked to check-in, and then when it's time to vote, swipe Blue (to the right) to vote YES or RED (to the left) to vote NO. You'll see the results of the vote in REAL TIME on television - even if you are on the West Coast. In just seconds, your votes determine whether the wall rises, whether a contestant moves on or goes home, or if you're on the West Coast, whether a lucky contestant gets a second chance. And IF you give us permission through the app, you might also see your Facebook or Twitter profile picture on the Rising Star wall. To learn more on how to vote, click here.